Nothing for the states, interim small changes won’t work: Mamata

Kolkata: Lashing out at the latest modifications announced by the Union government to tackle post demonetisation issues, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said it had nothing for the states and demanded that the use of old Rs 500 currency notes should be extended to more sectors.

Turning to Twitter soon after the Union Finance Ministry came out with a statement allowing use of the denotified Rs 400 notes till December 15 and stopped over-the-counter exchange of cash with immediate effect, Banerjee said: “The hasty, ill-conceived decision is becoming a bigger blunder day by day. Only these interim small changes will not work.”

The statement on Thursday also expanded the exemptions to include payment of fees up to Rs 2,000 per student in central and state government colleges as well as central government, state government, municipality and local body schools.

Banerjee, however, expressed her displeasure.

“Nothing for the agricultural, co-operative, unorganized sector. Nothing for the states, only central sector. Extend use of 500 rupee notes,” she said in another tweet.

Banerjee said the modifications announced during the day would not lead to any solution of the cash crisis.

“They are not the solution. Vast sections of society have been totally left out because of your dangerous policy,” she said.